MONTICELLO, Ark. — Darrick Matthews made his first trip to Drew County for the Muleriders' (12-11 | 7-10) road contest across the Timberlands with the Arkansas-Monticello Cotton Blossoms (9-14 | 4-13). While the Blossoms stuck close with Southern Arkansas for the vast majority of the contest, the Blue and Gold escaped Steelman Fieldhouse with a 72-62 triumph after separating themselves from UAM in the fourth period. 

The Blossoms not only hung with the Muleriders in the first quarter, but outscored Southern Arkansas 18-19 after shooting 7-15 from the field and 3-7 from beyond the arc. The Muleriders also accumulated three three-pointers of their own, but was one make shy (6-15) from the lead after one. 

While the Blue and Gold may have not made as many threes in the second period, but the group still outscored Monticello thanks to their 53.33% from the field (8-15) (UAM 5-15). SAU entered the intermission with a 38-33 lead after a buzzer-beating layup from Tequaza Chambers to go up five. 

The Cotton Blossoms would attack back at the Muleriders in the third period as the unit outscored Southern Arkansas 13-16 in the quarter as they held the Blue and Gold to just three made shots (3-12 | 25.00%). The Muleriders would have surrendered their lead if not for their six made free throws (6-8).

For the the remainder of the contest, SAU did not surrender the lead as the Blossoms could only tie the outing before Elena Lijo-Rodriguez tacked on a layup for the 51-49 lead going into the final quarter. The closest the Cotton Blossoms could get back with the Muleriders was one point (55-54), but shortly after, Southern Arkansas notched a 9-0 stretch for the ten-point lead (64-54). 

The Muleriders jumped out to as much as a 12-point lead at 72-60 before the Blossoms brought it back to ten points for the final score of 72-62. 

Players of the Game:

Addy Tremie: 19 points (led game), three steals (tied for game lead), and 5-11 from three-point range

Tequaza Chambers: 16 points, seven rebounds (led team), four assists, and two steals

Johnna Brockman: 11 points (career-high), five rebounds, and one block

Marlee Bright: 10 points, seven assists (led game), six rebounds, and three steals (tied for game lead)

Next Up:

The Muleriders now look to take on the Bisons out of Harding on Saturday in Searcy, Arkansas for a 3:00 PM tip-off.